[Mart1000]

Just popped up to my local mechanic. He looked at my bumper and chuckled, telling me he's done loads of E90 blown out washers.

He told me it's either get all the bits and risk it happening again next year, or I get both covers painted up and he will bond them onto the bumper and blank the washer pumps off completely.

I'm seriously considering the later as I'm not fussed about the washers at all and it will save me a few quid especially in the long haul. The other bonus is that my car is black and every time the headlamp washers do their thing the bumper/bonnet gets covered in water/screen wash, which dries and streaks.

Anyone done this?

[Dr Dave]

No but I seriously considered it when I lost one of mine. Found a new jet assy on ebay so wasn't too bad.

[Kerr]

Originally Posted by Mart1000

Just popped up to my local mechanic. He looked at my bumper and chuckled, telling me he's done loads of E90 blown out washers.

He told me it's either get all the bits and risk it happening again next year, or I get both covers painted up and he will bond them onto the bumper and blank the washer pumps off completely.

I'm seriously considering the later as I'm not fussed about the washers at all and it will save me a few quid especially in the long haul. The other bonus is that my car is black and every time the headlamp washers do their thing the bumper/bonnet gets covered in water/screen wash, which dries and streaks.

Anyone done this?

Headlamp washers are required for MOT with xenon headlamps.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by Mart1000

Anyone done this?

No.
It's a daft idea for two reasons:

Come resale time it might put someone off,it would me.
As Kerr has pointed out,with xenons they are a requirement for MOT.

Take the fuse out (Can't remember which one it is now )

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

No.
Take the fuse out (Can't remember which one it is now )

Confused. How does that help? Don't they just freeze overnight when it is cold?

[Mart1000]

I've not got xenons.

[AlwynMike]

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Confused. How does that help? Don't they just freeze overnight when it is cold?

Yes they do, but with the fuse out, the headlight pump doesn't run, so there is no pressure in the washers to pop the nozzles out.

Mike
(With the fuse out!)

[Mart1000]

Which fuse mike? Surely the fuse covers other things too?

[doughboy]

errm, just put enough screen wash in then they won't freeze up in the first place.

Screen wash is just good practice anyway for your windscreen jets too, unless you don't really look through your windscreen?

[Mart1000]

Thanks but I had plenty to begin with. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of the shit design of the washers until this happened.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Mart1000

Thanks but I had plenty to begin with. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of the shit design of the washers until this happened.

Mart,
if you dont have xenon, why are they there?

[doughboy]

headlight washers are an option without xenons.

sorry, mart1000, no offense meant, but in 6 years with e90/1 with washers i've never bust one or had a 'sticky out' one either.

Never more than a winter mix of screen wash, and -14 or so last year several times.

Still, seems like a poor design if it breaks just cos you forgot to put antifreeze in.

[BigBanana]

With the later LCI models, at least the DSE anyway, the plastic bits are not recessed into the bumper.
Maybe this is an attempt to stop them being frozen and stuck?

[Mart1000]

Honestly doughboy, if I knew that the washers were so weak I'd have upped the screen wash ratio. I always use a screen wash and make sure I have some in, but obviously mine wasn't strong enough. You live and learn though.

I think I'll put this down as a lesson learned and replace to stock, as in keep washers but also keep a heavy ratio in.

[Dr Dave]

Taking the fuse out is not going to help really - as the ice forms in the nozzle and pops the jet and cover off, no activation of the washer is required for it to fall off.

[AlwynMike]

Originally Posted by Mart1000

Which fuse mike? Surely the fuse covers other things too?

Can't remember off hand - it's in your other thread though. Take a look on the card behind the gove box, it will be marked there.

As for operating other things, it seems not! I haven't trawled through the wiring diagrams, but in the few months that I've had mine out, I haven't missed any electrical bits. The icon on the card is just for headlamp wash, nothing else.

If you're unsure, give it a go! Fuse removal isn't terminal, you can always put it back, as I will do when the weather improves.

Yes, the water will freeze in the nozzle/pipes and expand, particularly if you don't have anti-freeze (don't like using that word relating to washers!) in - and I do use it. However, it's the pressure of the pump behind a blocked nozzle that pops them out I believe.

I do keep additive in my washers year round, and beefing the concentration up in the winter is good practice. Doing this, the nozzles shouldn't pop. I endorse Doughboy's comments about additive, not only for clearing screens but keeping it as a fluid!
However, being chickenshit, I don't want it to happen to me when it is such a known problem, and a couple of minutes on my knees to take out a fuse is worth the hassle to me for peace of mind.

Did I mention swirl flaps?????
Same thing - they may never detach from thier spindles, most stay on quite happily. Decision time will come when my car comes out of warranty. Do I deflap or not. Experience with my 5er says that I will. It may be a pointless exercise, it may not be - my crystal balls aren't that good!

Prevention is better than cure. Who said that??


Mike

[ALF_E90]

One of my washers has started to sometimes not retract. It happened in a spell of really mild weather and I run loads of additive anyway, good for minus 10 all winter. The washers don't seem overly brilliant to me.

Some people on here have suggested the fuse for them covers other things too. If not I'd pull the fuse, personally. I did this on my 156's - the lights washers just waste fluid, make the car look cack the second you use them, and do very little cleaning without a Saab-style mini windscreen washer...

Unlikely a buyer would notice! If they did, would they care, on a non-Xenons car?

[TMP]

I think headlight washers are a great safety feature during mucky winter driving - so keep them working
Plus as someone mentioned, it could really hurt re-sale if they are tested.

Then use a decent Anti-freeze (e.g BMW) and mix to -18c (or -21c if winter like previous year) . This worked for me this year when temps hit -12c at night.

[Mart1000]

All will be sorted next Tuesday

[Frobius]

I looked at doing the fuse on mine but i couldn't find the fuse that does only the headlight washers.

Afaik, 330s came with headlight washers as standard.

[Mart1000]

Nope, deffo not as standard mate seen loads without

[TMP]

Originally Posted by Frobius

I looked at doing the fuse on mine but i couldn't find the fuse that does only the headlight washers.

Afaik, 330s came with headlight washers as standard.

Unless you get the water out, it will still freeze even with no fuse.

Yeap, headlight washers are standard at 6cylinder cars.